Tag Archives: turkey

Post navigation

We’ve all been there – those nights where you just don’t know what to make but have a ton of seemingly random things in the pantry. Not to mention those fresh herbs in the fridge that are about to go bad. Well, you know us a little by now, and we almost (read: almost) like those kinds of nights because that’s when we have to get creative with our recipes. Just like this one. We love our “toss ’em together” recipes that leave just enough cooking time in the oven to go peel off the work clothes and settle in with a nice glass (read: bottle) of wine.

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 lb. lean ground turkey (or chicken or lamb, knock yourself out)

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ tsp ground oregano

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

2 cup cooked brown rice (I had some white leftover from a fish & rice I had made the night before, works just as well)

½ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided (I did the feta with the Mediterranean herbs, but plain feta works as well)

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, ¼ cup of the feta cheese and the parsley. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining feta cheese. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.

I know you all have been anxiously waiting to hear the rest of what Martha had to say, so here it is! (If you missed the first post, you can catch up here.) This “part 2” is around Martha’s tips on holiday cooking – they’re coming sooner than you think people!

Martha’s holiday cooking tips

Vacherin cheese is a wonderful “winter” cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s very creamy in texture, a little “funky”, and is best eaten spooned right out of the rind.

She said her couscous royale is always a hit at holiday parties. It has the perfect blend of herbs and spices, and is great for your vegetarian guests.

And now for the big reveal – how Martha cooks her turkeys! Martha is very much about home-grown goodness and sustainable farming, whether it be vegetables, turkeys, or goats. For her holiday turkeys, she prefers to use one of her own grown Lebrun female turkeys as they tend to be bigger (up to 22lbs) and juicier. Her secret for cooking it comes in the form of a cheese cloth soaked in white wine and butter. (I was, and still am, drooling over this.)

From Martha’s Mouth:

Florence asked Martha’s opinion on whether or not you’re born with a good palette. “Yes, I believe you either have a good palette or you don’t. Some people are just born with it.” She went on to reference many famous chefs who have made it because their palette is so broad.

A reoccurring theme throughout the conversation was Martha’s praise for the people she works with. “The greatest influence in my life are the people around me, the people I work with. I learn from them every day.”

It was such an experience getting to meet Martha Stewart and learn a bit about who she is. If any of you ever get a chance, I highly suggest taking advantage! That woman has a wealth of knowledge that we can all learn a little from.

Labor day has come and gone, so there is no denying colleges and universities are back in full swing. Just so you know my MBA classes have been started for two weeks already so don’t whine. Anyway, if you are a dorm dweller and are missing the lovely meals prepared for you while you were home or travelling for the summer, this is your post! Not only are these good microwave friendly recipes, but it actually uses and tastes like real food. What, are we still pretending like Easy Mac and Ramen noodles are “Real”? I am pretty sure my box of oreos and popcorn are more “Real”.

Omelet in a mug

1 large egg

2 egg whites

2 tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp. diced green bell pepper (I have even tossed in leftover ham or turkey that I didn’t want going bad ,but was sick of making sandwiches with. Chop it small.)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste (you know I even squirted some hot sauce in there for a kick!)

Cooking spray

Combine egg, egg whites, cheddar cheese, bell pepper, salt, and ground pepper in a microwave-safe mug coated with non-stick spray. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Return to microwave and cook until eggs are completely set, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve.

Then, I would always crave something hot and sweet after classes. Something that was filling and warm, but also captured my sweet tooth. This is an easy spin on something we all consider as a boring and basic breakfast (ahh triple alliteration, nerd!)

Pumpkin Oatmeal

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

3/4 cup milk, or as needed (depends on how runny or thick you like it)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon sugar

(Feel free to add nuts and raisins if you need something hearty to hold you over for a while, perhaps a good pre-exam breakfast?)

Mix oats and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once. Add more milk or oats to achieve the desired consistency, and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon sugar. Heat for 20 more seconds and serve.

Hope you enjoy and do submit any of your other dorm room delicacies. I am sure everyone else would love the help!

Submit your recipe/tips to damndelish@gmail.com and receive a FREE tote if yours gets chosen to post. Check out our Instagram to see what the tote looks like. They are super cute and super useful!

Perverts, this is a Meatballs 3 different ways recipe. A menage a tois of balls. (Ha sorry I can’t help myself). Anyway, baked or pan seared…you pick your favorite. Chicken, turkey, or pork…you pick your favorite meat (that’s what she said?). OK for real though, the base for the mixture of these meatballs is the same: simple and delicious. The rest, you pick. Swear you can do it, all by your damn delish self.

Fine chop a large Vidalia onion, throw that in the bowl and then throw in Italian breadcrumbs (About a cup) After that add red chili flakes based on your level of spice preference. Lastly, toss in parsley flakes (dried or fresh), salt, black pepper (to taste, I do a pinch each or 1 tsp.) and a tablespoon of minced garlic. (I did 2 tbsp. but I’m crazy for garlic, so ya disclaimer) Crack an egg into the mixture and add your choice of ground meat. Don’t over-work the meat and form balls with your hands. I try to wet my hands with olive oil when doing this so the meat slides right off. (Too many jokes, too easy, I’ll take the mature route just this once).

Editor’s Note: Make sure if frying or pan searing that your olive oil is hot enough, but not scorching because the inside will remain raw while the outside burns (medium heat, kids). For baking the oven should be at 350 degrees and the duration will be based on meatball size. (1 lb. of ground meat should yield 6-8 medium-sized meatballs at 15-20 minutes).

What a bad rep meatloaf has. Often referred to as: cafeteria cuisine or diner drab, meatloaf is known as dry & un-flavorful. Plus if you take away the fat of pork or beef, you are setting yourself up for failure. FALSE! The old myth that only fat=flavor is debunked with this recipe. Not only is this meatloaf delish, its a great example of comfort food done right.

1 lb ground turkey

1.5 cups of mirepoix mix (you can chop your own or buy the pre chopped stuff. Its just diced celery, carrots, and onions so don’t be fooled by the fancy French name. Note it can be equal parts of each or adjusted based on what you like. I personally decrease the carrots and increase the onions, but to each his own).

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (I lied its actually a total of 2 tbsp. 1 will go in the dish and 1 will be used as a glaze: see cooking instructions below).

1 tbsp. bbq sauce (any brand of the bottled stuff, don’t need home made on this one).

1 tbsp. ketchup

1 egg

1 cup bread crumbs (I do the Italian seasoned ones, but if you have plain lying around don’t sweat it).

2 tbsp. minced garlic (keep a jar of this in your fridge, upwards of 5 recipes on the blog use it).

Salt & Pepper to taste (I add a few pinches of red chili flakes too, but I love spicy).

In a non stick pan, sautee the mirepoix, olive oil, salt pepper, garlic, and chili flakes. Once the veggies are softened (and cooled! don’t add hot, straight from pan. you will end up cooking the egg versus using it as a binder) add to the meat, along with the egg, sauces, and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Pour in meatloaf pan and take the same portions of the sauce (1 tbsp. worcestershire, 1 tbsp. bbq, and 1 tbsp. ketchup, mix and pour glaze on top of the meatloaf (I spread it with the back of a spoon to coat evenly. Trust me on this, not only does it hold in the moisture, but it adds a great crust of flavor since the sugars will caramelize when baking). Throw into a pre heated oven at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes based on how deep your loaf pan is. Comment below if this hasn’t changed your mind about meatloaf. Note, I served with the pantry gravy (recipe under sauce boss) when my dad came over for dinner. Also note, word on the street is there is a great variation on this using dry French onion soup mix, stay tuned for more on that.